Even if you are not an SEO expert, you already know that search engine optimization is the key to making a website stand out.
SEO is the backbone of the Internet. We use it every day, sometimes dozens of times a day. For some businesses, the success of their ecommerce SEO can be a crucial factor.
We could have written a book if we had covered every aspect of ecommerce search engine optimization. This guide is more of an introduction than a comprehensive explanation.
We will answer the question “What is SEO for an ecommerce site?” and examine six core concepts, such as keyword analysis, writing better content, or optimizing the backend of your website.
You can continue to learn about SEO until the end of your days. You should. We’ve provided plenty of links to help you continue your journey in conquering the Internet.
Search engine optimization (SEO) is the art, science, and mystery behind getting different pages on your website to appear high in a search using search engines such as Google, Bing, and Yahoo.
Google ads or other advertising platforms do not pay for SEO rankings.
SEO is a bit of a mystery (which is why we call it that) because search engine companies will keep the exact formulas, algorithms, and criteria used to determine who ranks where. While we know much about SEO, we still have much to learn.
It’s a fact: you want to appear on the first search page for products sold in your shop. A study found that 92 percent of the traffic is directed to websites appearing on the first Google search page.
This will take time and a lot of hard work. You may never get there. Our goal is different.
Good SEO is based on a website that provides visitors with a seamless, engaging, and easy experience. It is no accident that your SEO rankings improve when you improve the user experience.
Instead of delving into theories and debates on what will get you to the first page, let’s focus on the ecommerce SEO tips everyone agrees are crucial to success.
Use the old-fashioned method of keyword research
This is a term that even beginners are familiar with. Keyword research is essential for ecommerce websites because it helps you determine the words that customers will use to search your site when they are ready to purchase.
The intent is a big part of keyword research. It’s essential to align your keywords with the customer’s true purpose, even if it needs to be more prominent. We know that mind-reading can be a difficult task.
Once you’ve mastered the terms, you can use them to your advantage in all areas of your website, such as in product descriptions and metadata. Soon we’ll be able to discuss that.
These tools let you enter what you are selling, and they will suggest related terms other people might search for. Some devices also let you know how many people are searching for those terms and how difficult it may be to rank in the search engine results if you use them as part of your ecommerce strategy.
Optimize the on-page SEO of ecommerce product pages
Another SEO principle for ecommerce pages is using the words your customers see in descriptions. You should consider the comments your customers will see in product descriptions and on-page SEO elements. On-page SEO is composed of three main parts:
Page titles Top blue line in Google search results. This line should be a name that is intuitive for your customers and includes a few keywords where possible. Your title should be around 70 characters.
Meta Description: Text below the page’s title in the Google Search result. Consider this as a preview for a product’s page. Add your keywords again in a natural manner. This should be, at most, 320 characters.
You can easily edit the page title and meta description in Shopify. Scroll down to the bottom of the product page editor. Click “Edit Website SEO” in the “Search Engine Listing Preview” section.
ImagesBelieve or not, the name you give your images when you upload them makes a big difference. This information is “crawled” by search engines, meaning they look at it continuously and use it for ranking, archiving, and providing results on image search pages. Name your images using keywords and include details such as styles and colors when possible.
Use a dash between each word, like “mens-brown-leather-moto-jacket.jpg.” Fill in the alt-text with the same description when you upload the picture. Alt text is “alternative” text, which will appear if, for some reason, the device cannot load the image.
Organize your site logically
Site architecture is another important factor in ecommerce SEO.
Organizing your pages in a way that improves your ecommerce SEO and the experience for your customers is essential.
How often do you remember visiting a website where you were confused by how it was organized and became more so with each click? All of us have been there. Nobody likes it.
A website with a logical and clear structure is ideal.
Imagine a shoe store. Shoes can be divided into sandals, sneakers, and formal shoes. Subcategories are then created. Then there are the products.
This site is clean because it’s balanced, predictable, and easy to understand.
Keep your URLs short and simple. This is another of our best SEO practices for ecommerce.
When building your architecture, and naming your pages, from category to product, include only a few descriptive words (and exclude unimportant words such as “the, a” and other words that don’t appear in keywords). Make sure that your URLs are optimized for search engines.
Make your site mobile-friendly
SEO for ecommerce websites should include this. Why? People love to shop on their phones. According to mobile statistics, mobile commerce is expected to account for nearly 70% of all e-commerce sales. This year, the e-commerce industry will generate $3.56 trillion.
This SEO tip for ecommerce is designed to improve your customers’ experience on your site.
You should carefully browse each of your website pages on your phone (and tablet if you own one) to ensure that it is responsive. It automatically adapts to the user’s device to have a seamless experience no matter which tool they use to shop at your store.
It shouldn’t cause any significant issues since most themes for Shopify are mobile-optimized. You can run your URL through Google’s mobile-friendly testing tool to double-check it. You’ll be able to find out what Google is penalizing your store for if you use this tool.
Sign up for Google Search Console to improve your SEO game. You’ll get detailed insights into your store’s performance, and you can learn how to climb to the top of the page.
